The West Indian manatee, a distant relative of the elephant, returned to the sea some 50 million years ago. These thousand-pound herbivores inhabit the warm coastal waters where Americans like to play. Despite conservation efforts, criminal penalties for harming these creatures, and an overabundance of SAVE THE MANATEE! bumper stickers, none of these animals can be considered safe. Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the argument?a. Last year, several manatees were mysteriously killed by an unidentified toxin.
b. All manatees swim at depths than make them vulnerable to the blades of motorboat engines.
c. Most tourists are unaware of the ongoing efforts to save the manatee.
d. The population of manatees in the wild has dwindled to fewer than 2,500 animals.
e. Although dozens of manatee deaths are documented each year, many more deaths go unreported.